Born and raised in Lafayette, Indiana, W. Axl Rose is the pure embodiment of decadent late 1980s rockerdom. Brash, slightly misogynistic and notoriously wild, Rose grew up in a maniacally dysfunctional household - molested by his own father at age two; beaten by his abusive stepfather.

When Axl was 17 he fled Indiana on a Greyhound bus destined for Los Angeles (the haven for all that embodies sinnin' and grinnin'). After auditioning for a lion's share of punk bands (many of which he was turned down for because of his uncanny vocal resemblance to Robert Plant) he joined the seminal rock band L.A. Guns before ultimately forming Guns N' Roses. After Guns N' Roses met with the unprecedented success of their debut album "Appetite For Destruction", massive stadium tours soon became a reality, and Axl's status as a bona fide sex symbol was officially cemented. However, internal troubles with the band members and the heavy drug use among them eventually rendered Guns N' Roses obsolete until only recently. Comeback? We'll see.IMDb Mini Biography By: Brenna (wazzagurl@yahoo.com)

Mini Biography

Born on February 6th, 1962 in Lafayette, Indiana, USA. He grew up with strict religious teaching, but at the age of seventeen, left his town and headed to Los Angeles. Some time after, his long time friend Izzy Stradlin' joined him in LA and they started playing in some bands like Hollywood Rose and LA Guns. Some time after Axl and his pals Izzy, Slash, Duff McKagan and Steven Adler formed Guns n' Roses. They released several albuns like "Live?! Like a Suicide" (86, EP), "Appetite for Destruction" (87), "Gn'R Lies" (88), Use Your Illusion I and II" (91), "Spaghetti Incident?!" (93- cover album) and "Live Era 87 - 93" (99-live). In 1990 Steve Adler is out and Matt Sorum is in. In 1991 Guns 'n' Roses gets a sixth member, keyboarder Dizzy Reed. in November 1991 Izzy leaves and Gilby Clarke joins the band. Between 1994 and 1999 all the other members of the band leave, except Dizzy Reed. In 2000/2001 New Year night Guns n' Roses play live in Las Vegas with a new line up: Axl Rose (vocals), Paul Huge Tobias (guitar), Buckethead (guitar), Robin Finck (guitar), Tommy Stinson (bass), Chris Pitman (keyboards), Dizzy Reed (keyboards), Brian "Brain" Mantia (drums). John Freese (drums), Ricahrd Fortus (guitar) and some others have also worked in Guns n' Roses. Between 2002 and 2003 Guns n' Roses had a world tour.IMDb Mini Biography By: Emerenciano

SpouseErin Everly (28 April 1990 - January 1991) (annulled)

Trade Mark

Tight-fitting, leather biker shorts

Bandanas

High pitched singing

His dancing onstage

High vocal range.

Long blonde hair

Leather pants

Well known for his onstage rants often directed at fans

Trivia

Has been arrested over 30 times for various offenses, mostly drunk and disorderly and assault charges.

Is manic depressive.

Was born William Bruce Rose, but when his parents split his mother changed his name to William Bruce Bailey, taking his step-father's last name. Axl claims that when he was 17 he learned of his real father and changed it back to William Bruce Rose, but this is disputed. One of Rose's first music managers in L.A. claims that in the early 1980s Rose was still legally William Bailey.

Upon signing with Geffen Records in 1986 he had his name legally changed to W. Axl Rose.

His mother, Sharon E. Bailey died on May 28th, 1996.

Younger sister Amy and younger brother Stuart.

His ex-wife, Erin Everly, is Don Everly's daughter.

Attended high school with former longtime Guns N' Roses bandmate Izzy Stradlin.

When compiling song selections for the 1999 Guns N' Roses live album "Live Era", he communicated with Slash and Duff McKagan only through intermediaries.

"Axl Rose" is an anagram for "oral sex".

Was found guilty in November 1992 of property damage and assault at a 1991 Guns N' Roses concert in Maryland Heights, Missouri. Was given two years probation and ordered to pay $50,000 to community groups.

Has served as his own lawyer and defended himself at his innumerable trials.

Grew up in a strict Pentecostal (fundamentalist Christian) household. Was kicked out of his house at age 16 for not cutting his hair.

Played with Guns N' Roses in Rock in Rio II (January '91) and Rock in Rio III (January 2001) as one of the most expected attractions.

Has kicked off Guns N' Roses' "Chinese Democracy" world tour in Hong Kong, China. The band will play a series of shows in East Asia and Europe before resuming their tour in Spring 2003, and will keep the tour going for "two or three years" according to Rose. The album they're supporting, "Chinese Democracy", is in its finishing stages. [August 14, 2002]

"Sweet Child O' Mine" is played in State of Grace (1990).

"Welcome to the Jungle" is played in The Dead Pool (1988).

Guns N' Roses were voted the 92nd Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Artists of all time by Rolling Stone.

Released two albums at the same time with Guns N' Roses. This was the first time a band had ever released more than one album on the same day.

Legally changed his name to W. Axl Rose in 1986. The 'W' is legal, not an abbreviation, and was chosen because Rose did not wish to share the name William with his biological father.

Played in a band called Hollywood Rose prior to Guns And Roses.

Is a huge fan of Elton John. The two performed a duet of "Bohemian Rhapsody" at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in London in 1991.

Is of Scottish, German, and Irish descent.

Considers Christina Aguilera "The greatest Vocalist of our time".

Is the oldest member of Guns N'Roses, being two months older than Izzy Stradlin.

Lives in Malibu, California.

Is a huge fan of Queen.

Personal Quotes

Life sucks, but in a beautiful kind of way.

I used to use the Internet a lot, but I got tired of reading all the garbage on there about me. The Internet is just a huge garbage can.

We're out there to win at what we do. And if that means going on two hours late and doing a good show, I'm gonna do it. I take what I do very seriously.

My growth was stopped at two years old. And when they talk about Axl Rose being a screaming two-year-old, they're right.

We want people to realize, man, just play whatever the f*ck you want to play, not what someone else thinks you should play, so that's what we've done.

Some people say I got a chip on my shoulder.

We'd rather be unknown and live in Idaho than have someone tell us what to play and how to "make it."

Where Are They Now

(May 2002) Is still working on finishing the first album of new Guns 'n Roses material since 1991's 'Use Your Illusion' two-CD set. It is titled 'Chinese Democracy,' and is one of the most delayed releases-to-be in music history.

(August 2004) The album "Chinese Democracy" is currently slated for a November 2004 release.

(May 2006) W. Axl Rose is back on the road, performing four dates in New York in May, before embarking on a 30+ date tour throughout Europe.

(April 2007) Still working in the studio on "Chinese Democracy". The album has now been delayed for over a decade.

(November 2008) Has finally completed the long anticipated new Guns N' Roses album "Chinese Democracy".

Biography forSlash More at IMDbPro »

ad feedbackDate of Birth23 July 1965, Hampstead, London, England, UK

Birth NameSaul Hudson

Height5' 10½" (1.79 m)

Mini Biography

Saul Hudson, mainly known as Slash, was born on July 23, 1965, and was raised in Stoke-on-Trent. Both his parents worked in the entertainment business, his mother being a clothing designer (she did some of David Bowie's costumes) and his father being an art director for a record company. When Slash was 11 he moved with his mother to Los Angeles, leaving his father behind in England, although he eventually joined them in L.A. years later. Slash became sort of an outsider at school since he didn't really fit in with other kids. In the mid 70s his parents separated and Slash moved in with his grandmother. During this time Slash got interested in BMX riding, and went on to win several awards and money in competitions. When he was 15 he got his first guitar, and his schoolwork started to go downhill as he skipped class to sit playing guitar all day. Slash eventually got so tired of school that he dropped out in 11th grade. As he lived in Los Angeles, a city flourishing with new, young rock bands, he quickly got in touch with people to jam with. After meeting Steven Adler the two of them formed a band called Road Crew. Then he met Izzy Stradlin who played in a band with Axl Rose, and after hearing Axl sing live, he was set on getting him in his band. Soon a bass player answered one of Slash's ads in the paper, and Slash (guitar), Steven (drums), Izzy (guitar), Axl (vocals) and Duff McKagan (bass) formed Guns N' Roses in 1986. Soon enough, GNR were known across the globe as the new rock n' roll sensation. Album sales went sky high and the band was having a blast on their world tours, and during this time Slash worked with artists like Michael Jackson on the Dangerous album and Lenny Kravitz, just to name two. But after the Use Your Illusion tour, GNR decided to take a break. Slash however, needed to play music and so he formed his own band Slash's Snakepit. With the success of this bands album It's Five O'Clock Somewhere (1995), Slash told the public that Slash's Snakepit would be back again. During this time Slash and Axl were having some heated arguments about Guns N' Roses and what would happen next. Guns N' Roses as we knew them then, was terminated by the result as Slash decided to leave the band, handing all rights of the band name over to Axl. After this Slash did a few gigs here and there, formed a band called Blues Ball who played blues covers, and even brought back Slash's Snakepit as he said he would, although they didn't last very long this time either. In 2000, Slash met Perla Ferrar and on October 15, 2001, married her. It's not surprising that he wore black leather pants, a white shirt and his faithful black leather jacket to the wedding! His new status as a married man didn't slow him down, though. In 2003, Velvet Revolver was formed by the former members of Guns N' Roses; Slash, Duff and Matt (who replaced Steven in 1990), Scott Weiland (vocals) from Stone Temple Pilots and Dave Kushner (guitar) from Wasted Youth. Velvet Revolver's debut album Contraband (2004) was long-awaited and sold incredibly well. They are now going to show up on the second Live Aid concert along with many other huge artists, which will be held in London. Velvet Revolver's plans to become a rock band of great magnitude are definitely in the works, and Slash himself has earned his title as one of the greatest rock n' roll guitar players in history.IMDb Mini Biography By: Fred Shands

1/22/90: Created controversy after giving a profanity-laden acceptance speech at the American Music Awards.

Has not spoken to former bandmate W. Axl Rose since 1996. They communicated their song selection for the 1999 Guns N' Roses live album "Live Era" only through intermediaries.

Released two albums with his new band, Slash's Snakepit.

Attended middle and high school with longtime Guns N' Roses bandmate Steven Adler.

Before Guns N' Roses, was in a band called Road Crew with future GNR bandmates Duff McKagan and Steven Adler.

Wife Perla gave birth to a 9 lbs 4 oz baby boy, London Emilio Hudson, on August 28, 2002, and to an 8 lbs 13 oz baby boy, Cash Anthony Hudson, on June 23, 2004.

July 2001: Voted the West Midlands' best guitarist in Total Guitar Magazine's poll of the greatest British guitarists.

Auditioned for the heavy metal band Poison.

On the show "Kid Notorious" (2003), he plays himself, the voice of reason, next-door neighbor and good friend of Robert Evans (Kid Notorious). In real life, he actually is the next-door neighbor and good friend of Evans (although he says he is hardly the voice of reason).

His pulse once stopped after a drug overdose at a hotel. Doctors were able to revive him with a shot of adrenaline into his chest.

His favorite book is "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" by Hunter S. Thompson.

His father is Anthony Hudson, album cover designer for Geffen Records, including Joni Mitchell's "Court and Spark".

Mother is clothing designer Ola Hudson. Her work includes costumes for David Bowie in The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) and The Pointer Sisters.

He attended Beverly Hills High School with Lenny Kravitz in the early 1980s, but did not graduate.

Of Nigerian and English descent.

Velvet Revolver was named after The Velvet Underground and their feelings that they were at a point where they were revolving around the world as opposed to the world revolving around them.

Has recorded with British heavy metal band Motörhead, American singer and longtime friend Lenny Kravitz and Michael Jackson.

Lives in Los Angeles with his family.

As a child, he once lived next door to David Geffen.

Has Irish ancestry on his mother's side.

Has Dual UK and US Citizenship.

His father is a White English Jew and his Mother is African.

Although he now currently plays authentic Les Paul Gibson guitars, the Les Paul guitar that Slash played on Guns N' Roses debut album "Appetite For Destruction" is actually a Max Webster copy of a 1959 Les Paul flametop.

The Youngest Member of Guns N'Roses.

He is a keen collector of vintage Les Paul guitars.

Lives in Los Angeles, California.

Personal Quotes

Sex and drugs go hand in hand when you're a rock 'n' roll musician. If I were a violinist, it might be a different matter.

[Jeff Beck] is one of the most amazing guitar players the world has seen when it just comes to rock and roll guitar. He's a real organic player.

For me to sound like "me" I have to have a Marshall. That's just the way it is.

[on writing his memoir, "Slash"] The only reason I wrote it is because a lot of the stuff I was reading and seeing about the band got pretty frustrating. I just had to straighten out some shit.

He's a huge hero of mine and the fact that he knew who I was was a huge compliment. Bo Diddley created a myth that was uniquely his own. An entire rhythm is owed to just one guy and that's pretty rare. He was such a trooper and a timeless individual. I'm hoping the pioneers of rock like Bo Diddley won't be forgotten.

I learned some of Brad Whitford's solos, and from Joe Perry I think I just picked up slam-bam dynamics. I've always worked hard towards being able to play what I hear in my head. I don't like to over-think. If something comes into my head, I want to be able to play it instantly. That's what improvising is all about, and that's why I go and jam a lot.

Axl is like a magnet for problems. I've never met anybody like him. He's the kind of guy that would get a toothbrush stuck down his throat because that particular toothbrush happened to be defective.

I don't see why the subject of kicking dope is such a big deal. It's personal, really. It's like asking how I go to the bathroom or what do I wash when I take a shower.

Where Are They Now

(August 2003) Has released two songs and two videos with his new band, Velvet Revolver, and is now is the studio recording with them.